Lightsabers are what make Star Wars iconic. Yes, the franchise would be nothing without its characters and lavish locales, but lightsabers are “an elegant weapon, for a more civilized age.” Each saber tells its own story, embodies the personality of the wielder, and extrudes the light or darkness found within.
While these intricate weapons blend “old-fashioned chivalry with high-tech aesthetics,” much more can be shown or said with the ability to hold a multitude of them in your pocket. Star Wars: The Mini Book of Lightsabers by Insight Editions has recently been my go-to Star Wars book for knowledge of this ancient craft of combat.
The wealth of knowledge contained in this small book (2.5 in x 3.5 in) is mind-blowing. You’d think that in such a small size it would be near impossible to read or to get interested in. From my experience, this is not true! Once you open up this tiny collection of detailed, easy-to-read text and gorgeous illustrations, you suddenly find yourself immersed in the content.
At the beginning of this mini-book, Insight Editions does a phenomenal job of giving a brief yet pleasant history of how lightsabers became “instantly recognizable” to almost anyone. From Lucasfilm sound designer Ben Burtt creating the iconic buzz sounds of a lightsaber to George Lucas revolutionizing lightsaber combat from one hand to two hands, The Mini Book of Lightsabers says it all.
Found in each of its 304 pages, each lightsaber gets its own time to bask in the spotlight and tell its story. After reading about each lightsaber, (there are A LOT of them) what I find is most refreshing is that it includes illustrations that visualize a special moment of each saber in combat. This mini-book isn’t like your typical high school history textbook filled with words of endless nothing. Each lightsaber is historically visualized in a beautiful and meaningful way.
Star Wars: The Mini Book of Lightsabers is truly a must-read for fans of all ages who love the Star Wars art of lightsaber combat. Truly, I have been carrying this around with me everywhere. Its small size brings convenience and the ability to “discover the Force in the palm of your hand.”
Our Score:
In conclusion, I would like to thank Insight Editions for generously giving me an advanced copy of this book and for adding another “fine addition to my collection.”
Star Wars: The Mini Book of Lightsabers is available for pre-order from Insight Editions prior to its release on May 24th.
